1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to storage of data provided as a nonprogram portion of television transmission signals. In particular, the invention provides a system for decoding data included in the vertical blanking interval of a television transmission signal and a portable data coupon for storage of selected information from the data received by the system for future use.
2. Prior Art
Television broadcast signals provide significant windows in the signal for insertion of data in addition to the required program signals for video and audio reception. The vertical blanking interval (VBI) of the television transmission signal has been employed in the past for data to provide closed captioning for the hearing impaired.
Decoders for data provided in the VBI are well known in the art and standards are being developed for data formats to usefully employ the VBI for transmission of additional data. Typical uses of VBI data to date have been similar to closed captioning wherein data received in the VBI is decoded and provided as a separate video signal for printing of information to the television screen for viewing by the user. Capability of prior art systems to decode, store and usefully employ data which can be provided in the VBI has been extremely limited.
Exemplary of data which may be provided in the VBI are channel specific program information such as short term upcoming program schedules and program related information such as statistics of baseball players during a baseball game, recipes provided during a cooking lesson, problem assignments and answers after an educational program and other related information displayed on the screen relevant to the program being viewed. The majority of this type of information may be displayed or is desirable to be displayed concurrently with existing video programming. Consequently, systems for decoding and presentation of the desired information rely on essentially identical technology to the closed caption systems previously described.
Significant additional information may be disseminated through the use of VBI signaling, however, practical systems for storage and use of the data to be provided are not presently available. Commercial information such as supplemental telephone number information, identification of local dealers and supplemental product/price information in addition to the video and audio presentation of a common television commercial are desirable. For greatest benefit this information should be available subsequent to the presentation of the video/audio commercial and should be stored for subsequent access and/or use. Merely overwriting the existing video of a commercial with additional information presented in the VBI produces no more favorable result for the advertiser than the materials in the commercial itself. Such information conveyed on video is fleeting and most viewers are not disposed to take any action while actually viewing a commercial. Transmission of data on the VBI which can be captured and displayed subsequently on the screen at the command of the user extends the usefulness of the real time broadcast adding "virtual time" in which potential customers may review important sales related information at their leisure.
As a portion of the concept of providing commercial information, discount information for sales or services may be provided. At the present time discounts are typically provided in the form of coupons distributed to consumers in print form such as newspapers, magazines, store dispensers and so on. The coupon is removed from its source by the consumer and brought to the store for redemption. Most coupons presently employ a UPC code number in the form of a bar code to allow easy confirmation of product, discount value, expiration date and other information for comparison with the goods actually purchased by the consumer to avoid coupon fraud.
The availability of the transmission medium for "coupon" information in the VBI of television transmission signals opens a new channel for both the advertiser and consumer in the field of commercial communications. The present invention provides a method and system whereby such commercial information may be obtained, stored and used conveniently to obtain the greatest benefit from the presentation medium.